This invention relates to a photographic camera that can create a composite image that includes the image of an object focused on by the camera user and an image chosen by the user from an image mask.
Photographic cameras can be used to form composite images that consist of a combination of an image on a transparency and an image of an object whose picture is being taken with the camera. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,521,665 entitled xe2x80x9cComposite Image Camera with Flash Devicexe2x80x9d the film exposure area, the area where a frame of film is exposed, is separated into two compartments. Light from the image of the object whose picture is being taken travels through one of the compartments to generate its image onto a portion of the frame of film adjacent to the film exposing area. A removable transparency with an image is disposed in the other compartment. Light from the camera flash travels through a light pipe to this second compartment. Therefore, when a picture is taken, the image on the transparency is transposed onto the portion of the frame of film adjacent to this second compartment to form a composite image.
Similarly, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,486,885 entitled xe2x80x9cCharacter Image Display Apparatus for a Cameraxe2x80x9d a camera for forming a composite image is disclosed. In this camera, a transparency containing an image is adhesively placed onto a diffusion block disposed between a portion of a frame of film and the shutter. Light is directed into the diffusion block from the flash with a light guide. When a picture is taken, the flash illuminates the diffusion block and causes the image on the transparency to be placed on the film along with the image of the object whose picture is being taken.
The invention described below includes an improved camera for creating a composite image on a frame of film. In a preferred embodiment of this invention, the camera has a mask cartridge that contains a mask that has a plurality of prestored images. A camera user can select an image from these prestored images to combine with an image of the object whose picture is being taken to form a composite photograph.
The camera of this invention may include a main body, a back and a mask. The mask may be disposed on a mask cartridge that is removable from the camera. Preferably, the mask cartridge can be inserted and removed from the camera by opening the back cover. The mask may include a plurality of sections. Disposed on at least one of these sections is a mask object for generating a mask image on a frame of film. The camera of this invention can use any of a variety of types of film and preferably employs film that can be divided into a plurality of frames. Each frame preferably has a first portion on which an object image of an object whose picture is being taken can be created, and a second portion on which a mask image of a mask object disposed on the mask can be created. By creating an object image on the first portion of a frame of the film and a mask image on the second portion of the frame of film, a composite image can be created.
In a preferred embodiment of this invention, the camera further includes a first and a second film exposing chambers. These chambers may be defined within the mask cartridge. The first portion of a frame of film may be exposed to light from an object whose picture is being taken with the camera in the first film exposing chamber. In comparison, the second portion of the frame of film may be exposed in the second film exposing chamber to a mask object on the mask to create a mask image on the second portion of the frame of film. Preferably, the first and the second film exposing chambers are disposed adjacent to each other. For example, they may be disposed side by side or with the first film exposing chamber below the second film exposing chamber.
A light source may be provided in the second film exposing chamber for exposing the second portion of a frame of the film. The light source may be a light bulb. Alternatively, the light source may be the camera flash whose light is transmitted to the second film exposing chamber with a light pipe. In this embodiment, the second portion of a frame of film is exposed to the mask when the flash is triggered.
Preferably, if the light source is a light bulb, the light bulb may be disposed in a second film exposing chamber that is disposed between the first film exposing chamber and a film cassette. The camera may contain a means for activating the light source. In a preferred embodiment, the means for activating the light source includes the film advancing mechanism and an electrical circuit that powers the light source. This electrical circuit may, but need not, include a capacitor. In this embodiment, the first portion of the frame of film may be exposed in the first film exposing chamber to light from an object whose picture is being taken to form an object image on the first portion of the frame of film. After exposing the first portion of a frame of film, the film is preferably advanced with the film advancing mechanism. When the film is advanced, the frame of film that was exposed in the first film exposing chamber moves to the second film exposing chamber. After reaching the second film exposing chamber, the film advancing mechanism causes the electrical circuit to provide power to the light bulb and illuminate it. This may include discharging the capacitor to power the light source. When illuminated, the second portion of the frame of film is exposed to the mask object and a mask image of this mask object is created on the second portion of the frame of film. Thus, by exposing separate portions of a frame of film in separate exposing chambers, a composite image may be created in a frame of film.
The mask cartridge may include a first mask spool, a second mask spool and a mask advancing mechanism. The mask may be disposed on the first and the second mask spools, so that the mask may be scrolled between the first and the second mask spools. The mask advancing mechanism may include a thumb wheel that is coupled to each of the mask spools. Further, the mask cartridge may include a viewfinder mask that has a plurality of sections that each have images that correspond to the mask objects on the mask. The viewfinder mask may also be disposed on the first and the second mask spools so that it can be scrolled by operation of the mask advancing mechanism when the mask is scrolled.
In a first embodiment of this invention, the mask includes a plurality of first sections that are disposed adjacent to a plurality of second sections. The first sections have a first region and a second region. The first region of each of the first sections is transparent, and the second region of each of the first sections is masked. These first sections may be disposed in the first film exposing chamber between a frame of film and the lens of the camera. When a picture is taken with the camera, light from an object whose picture is being taken passes through the transparent first region of the first section of the mask to generate an image on a first portion of the frame of film. The second region of the first section of the mask prevents light from reaching the second portion of the frame of film and exposing the second portion of the frame of film.
Each of the second sections of the mask may have a first region and a second region. The first region of each of the second sections is masked so that light cannot penetrate it and expose the film. In contrast, the second region has at least one mask object. The mask object may be any of a variety of objects, including but not limited to words, symbols and images of people and objects.
After a picture is taken with the camera and the image of an object external to the camera is created on the first portion of the frame of film disposed in the first film exposing chamber, the film may be advanced with the film advancing mechanism. As the film advancing mechanism is manipulated, the frame of film that was in the first film exposing chamber moves to the second film exposing chamber. In the second film exposing chamber, a second section of the mask is disposed between the frame of film and the light source. Once the exposed frame of film is in the second film exposing chamber, the film advancing mechanism powers the light source, as described above. Because of the masked first region of the second section of the mask, the first portion of the frame of film that was exposed in the first film exposing chamber is not exposed. However, the second portion of the frame of film is exposed to light from the light source and a mask image of the at least one mask object on the second region of the second section of the mask is created. Thus, a composite image is generated on a frame of film; an object image of an object external to the camera is created in the first film exposing chamber and an at least one mask image is generated in the second film exposing chamber.
In this embodiment of the invention the creation of the object image on a first portion of a frame of film and the creation of a mask image on a second portion of a frame of film are independent functions of the camera. This is advantageous because a camera may select the mask object either before or after creating an object image on the first portion of the frame of film. More specifically, the camera user can expose the first portion of a frame of film and then operate the mask advancing mechanism to scroll through the mask objects and select a mask object. After selecting a mask object, the film can be advanced and the second portion of the frame of film may be exposed to the selected mask object, as described above. Alternatively, the camera user may select a mask object before exposing a first portion of a frame of film and operate the film advancing mechanism to create the mask image of the composite image.
In some cameras it may be desired to prevent a camera user from changing a selected mask object after an object image has been created and before the film has been exposed to the selected mask object. This may be desired because the camera user could take a picture, inadvertently forget to advance the film, change the mask image to one, that does not correspond to the object image, and then advance the film. Such a sequence of events would create a composite image that includes a mask image that does not correlate with the object image. In order to prevent this, the camera may have an interlock, that prevents the camera user from changing the selected mask image after an object image has been created until the film is exposed to the selected mask image. Although a camera that has this interlock prevents the creation of an undesired composite image, it requires the camera user to select a mask image before taking a picture of an object.
In an alternative embodiment of this invention, the mask cartridge has a mask that has a plurality of sections. Each of these sections is divided into a first region and a second region. The first region of each of these sections is transparent, and the second region of each of these sections has at least one mask object. This alternative embodiment may be used with an embodiment of the camera of this invention that has a first film exposing chamber disposed above a second film exposing chamber. Preferably, the first and the second film exposing chambers are defined at least in part by a mask shield that is part of the mask cartridge. The mask shield divides an area of the camera into the two chambers, a first and a second film exposing chamber.
The mask may be disposed in these chambers between the film and the front of the camera. Even more preferably, the first region of a section of the mask may be disposed in the first film exposing chamber above the mask shield, and the second region of the mask may be disposed in the second film exposing chamber, below the mask shield. The light pipe, described above, may extend from the flash of the camera to the second film exposing chamber. When a picture is taken with the camera and the flash is activated, light reflected from an object whose picture is being taken with the camera enters the camera through a lens of the camera into the first film exposing chamber and exposes the first portion of a frame of film. Because of the mask shield, the second portion of the frame of film in the second film exposing chamber is not exposed to light that enters the camera through the camera lens. Rather, when the picture is taken and the flash is activated, light from the flash travels through the light pipe to the second film exposing chamber. This light form the flash exposes the second portion of the frame of film and creates an image of the mask object on the second portion of the frame of film. Thus, in this embodiment of the invention, a composite image is created when a picture is taken by activating the flash. A light bulb or other illuminating device may be uses as the source of light for illuminating the second film exposing chamber instead of a flash.
Because the first and the second film exposing chambers are disposed in a vertical relationship, rather than side by side, this second preferred embodiment is advantageous because it may be relatively small in size. In some instances, camera users prefer smaller size cameras and this embodiment of the camera helps to meet that demand.
Other features of the invention are provided below.